Bad Weather
by Blackcat509
Summary: When SG1 arrive on a chilly planet with a broken DHD Sam falls into a frozen lake. My first fanfic. hope you like it. :)


Bad Weather

The event horizon snapped shut just as SG1 stepped out on to a bitterly cold planet.

"Damn it's cold", O'Neill blurted out as the team began to assemble them selves around the M.A.L.P. "Thought you said it was going to be warm here Carter" shooting a questioning glare her way.

"The M.A.L.P. sent back reading of 25 degrees Celsius and look Sir, the palm trees we saw on the image display are just over there."

"Seems odd doesn't it, I mean palm trees, 7cm of snow and a thunder storm that I am pretty sure is about to start any time all in the same place" Daniel mentioned, motioning towards the sky.

"Indeed" was all Teal'c seemed willing to add, much to the clear annoyance of the colonel.

"All right, Danny dial us up, lets go home and explain to Hammond why this mission is a complete bust" his face grimaced into one of pure unhappiness, "Not that I am looking froward to that."

Throughout the time Colonel O'Neill had been thinking aloud Daniel had been attempting to dial Earth and has so far been unsuccessful, twice. Cautiously he tried again and was disappointed by the once again unsuccessful attempt to dial home. By this time Major Carter has joined him and seeing his difficulty offered to try herself and for the fourth time the gate failed to engage a wormhole to Earth.

"Take your time kids, no rush, its only _freezing_ out here" exclaimed the colonel as he joined the scientists stood by the DHD both sporting the same confused face, the whole time Teal'c remained a short distance away keeping watch for any approaching enemy.

"Maybe its a problem with the DHD, if I could just prise this panel of the base here I may be able to fix it."

Having now been joined by Colonel O'Neill, Sam knelt down in the snow and pulled of the gloves that they had all put on just after stepping through the gate and slowly worked her fingers around the latch that held the panel in place. "Damn."

"What's the problem Carter"

"The panels frozen shut Sir, its covered in ice. I can't get it open"

After an hour of Sam working on trying to get the panel off, attempting dialling several other planets including Cimmeria, the Alpha site and the Tok'Ra base on Vorash and every other idea she had to get the gate working, Daniel asked a very simple question that had been playing on Colonel O'Neill mind as well.

"Can you fix it Sam?"

"Yes...At least I think I can."

The short look of relief that had brushed both Daniels' and the the Colonels' face turned to one of confusion with a mild hint of anger and annoyance.

"You think. Carter can you or can you not fix the DHD?"

"Yes I can fix it Sir, if I can just get this damn panel off."

"Okay Danny, Teal'c head that way" O'Neill said pointing roughly north, "looks like there are some caves that way. Take shelter and I'll stay with Carter until we managed to fix the DHD." Just as O'Neill finished dishing out orders the sky lit up with lightening and a fresh layer of snow and rain began to fall.

"Said that storm would start any time when we first got here, but it held of longer than I expected."  
"Okay Daniel no need to be smug about it, just get going. Carter and I will follow when it starts getting dark and we'll radio you if she gets it fixed." Daniel and Teal'c left without saying a word and headed of in the direction Colonel O'Neill had indicated leaving silence to surround both of them.

"Ouch, damn it."

"Carter you OK?"

"Yes Sir." Highly doubting the answer of his 2IC O'Neill walked over to where she sat in the snow covered lightly by a blanket that he had placed there while she had been working. "What's the problem Major?"

"My hands are completely numb and this panel is still frozen", O'Neill found it hard to understand what she was saying because her teeth was chattering so much.

"Okay, that's it Major were going to find Teal'c and Danny. You've been at this three hours and don't even think of complaining or I will make going to find shelter an order."

As she considered objecting she stopped, her hands were completely numb, not to mention a very nice shade of blue, her whole body was freezing and her pants were wet from where she had been sitting in the snow, so instead responded with a simple "Yes Sir", once again through chattering teeth.

After walking for 20 minutes O'Neill began to think Sam had been right, the way they were heading was different to the way he had sent Teal'c and Daniel. It had been hard to tell he reasoned with himself, the snow was thick and he could see mountains but when Carter had said that the ones they were heading to were due east he had thought the cold had gotten into her head and confused her, but now he was wondering.

"Teal'c, you reach a cave yet?"

"That we have O'Neill, we arriver here roughly 2 and a half hours ago."

The voice coming through the radio changed, "Have you fixed the DHD yet Jack? And if you haven't get over here we've got a great fire going!"

"No, were heading to some cliffs but I think there in the east not north, we'll meet up when the snow has stopped." O'Neill didn't dare look at his 2IC as he knew exactly what her face would show, smugness.

_I was right_, the thought flooded through her mind and on the outside revealed its self in the from of a smug grin. How she achieved this she didn't know, her legs were numb where the dampness felt like it had turned to ice and although she had slightly warmed from the movement of walking a fire sounded great but they weren't turning round. "Guess it would take to long to make it to the caves in the north?" Sam looked at her CO for confirmation of this theory. Just as he began to respond there was a loud crack and she felt her legs go from under her.

"CARTER", the yell had escaped his mouth before he had made a conscious decision to shout. His 2IC disappeared right in front of his eyes. As he looked down he saw what had made the cracking sound, ice, they were on a frozen lake, and judging by where the dips in the snow appeared in front and behind they were in the middle. Now his moves were slow and smooth, in clear contrast of his breaths that were coming in short, fast gasps, as he bent down to the small hole in the ice and peered in. _There_, he could see her only a few inches below the surface of the water. Reaching in he felt his arm turn to ice as he grabbed Carters collar and hauled her head above water. Getting a better grip on her clothing he dragged the limp from of the Major from the lake, laying her on the snow that had accumulated on the ice. Deciding he would check her for injuries when they reached a cave he pulled an emergency blanket out of his bag and wrapped it tightly around her body. At least he could feel her breathing and that she had a pulse, for now that would have to be enough. Gently he slid one arm under her knees and the other under her neck and lifted her of the ground.

Half an hour later Colonel O'Neill had found what he was looking for, a cave that went far back into the cliff face with a slight bend that helped keep out the wind. Major Carter was lying wrapped in two emergency blankets and still unconscious. Deciding against removing the blankets and checking for any injuries while she soaked to the bone and frozen, with no way of keeping her warm, he set out just a little way from the cave and looked for some fire wood. On his return from the third trip to retrieve wood for the fire he tried once again to contact Teal'c and Daniel. The only response he got was from the static. "Great, just what I need." Looking from the large mound of thick branches he had gathered and the motionless form of Major Carter he decided to build a fire to help dry their clothes and warm them both.

_Cold, so damn cold_, the thought flashed through Sam's mind so quick, _why am I so cold?_ The soft smell of burning wood filled the air and she tried to move towards what she hopped was a fire that had been built but suddenly she was aware of hands on her skin.

"Would you quit fidgeting Major, your making this bloody difficult."

"Colonel?"

"Yes, now would you hold still, please." At her realisation that it was the Colonel who was there and not some strange alien she relaxed.

"Ouch, that, ouch."

"That hurt Carter?" O'Neill questioned as he ran his hands down the sides of her ribcage and then came to firm stop when he realised that she had broken two ribs on her left side. "Okay, that makes two broken ribs, several cuts to your arms, legs and abdomen and one hell of a crack on the head, think you might have done that when you banged your head on the ice and I'm a little worried that you may have a slight case of hypothermia."

"Oh, so what's the bad news", she hoped her voice didn't come out as weak as she felt.

"Well since you asked, I can't contact Daniel and Teal'c and the snow storm out there has turned into a complete blizzard, total white-out, other that that everything's peachy." As he said this he gave her his greatest smile and hoped his face didn't show the clear relief he felt at seeing that her eyes were open again. "I, um, Carter, I had to, um, I had to take your clothes off. They were soaked and your were going a rather worrying shade of blue, but if it makes you feel better I left your under-ware on, and put you in dry clothes as quickly I could." The words seemed to tumble out of his mouth faster than he had intended and he could feel his face turning scarlet at the admission of having undressed his 2IC and also the woman who he was in love with. Great now he had an image of her half naked to fantasise over in his head.

"Its okay sir, I'd rather you did that than let me freeze to death", a faint smile graced her face and instantly the Colonel felt less guilty at what he had done and relieved that Sam wasn't planning on killing him for violating her privacy.

"Try to sleep Carter it's getting late, I'll keep watch."

"Sir, you can't stay awake all night and anyway it can't be getting towards night yet, can it?"

"Time is 20:00 hours Major and yes I can stay awake all night, especially since you are in absolutely no condition to sit up never mind take watch."

"Sir, I'm fi..."

"Carter, do I have to make this an order, because if you begin to argue I will, so." He made the comment so fast to make sure she couldn't finish her sentence and start an argument with him.

"Yes Sir."

"Good now lie down and go to sleep." He was relived to watch the Major carefully role onto her right side as to protect her broken ribs and quietly drift off.

Something disturbed him from the light sleep he had drifted into while on watch, _damn Carter was right again, I really need to start listening to her._ The noise that had been disturbing him came again. Quickly realising that the sharp wheezing sound was coming from his 2IC he crawled over to her and gently rolled her onto her back, her head resting on his thigh.

"It's OK Sam, your OK", he said soothingly to her unconscious from, unfortunately this was only meet with a bout of violent coughing that made her whole chest rattle. "It's OK Sam, don't worry I'm here." It occurred to him that her lying flat may be contributing her difficulty breathing so he pulled her body up so she was partially sitting and partially lying with her head on his chest. Her breathing instantly eased and the rattling in her chest all but stopped. Jack was relieved by this fact and the fact that her body was now warm instead of ice cold and pale blue that she had been a few hours ago.

Sam awoke to the instant feeling of her hole body shaking, in fact it wasn't just her body it was the whole cave. Jack was holding her close to him, gently running his hand over her hair whilst covering her body from any falling rocks that may hit her.

"Sir, what's happening?" She tried, and failed to keep the fear out of her voice.

"It's OK Sam, don't worry, I think its just an avalanche, a small one at that. Not the first one we've had, but you were asleep during the others. I think it might be because the snow on the cliff above is melting."

"Yeah, Sir, you're most likely right about that as the snow melts it becomes lose and more likely to fall, also." Her voice was scratchy and strained.

"Carter!"

"Sorry Sir. Bad habit."

"It's OK Sam. How you feeling?"

Her answer was another violent bout of coughing followed by a few sneezes.

"Careful, you're starting to sound like Daniel, what with all the sneezing. So, how do you feel?"

"Honestly Sir, terrible, my throat is sore, my head hurts and feels foggy and it hurts to breath." Her honesty worried Jack, he knew Sam and normally she would try to hide how ill she really felt.

"OK, hang on Major, I'll be back in a sec", with that he carefully leaned Sam against the wall and went to take a look outside. The sight that greeted him gave him a lot of confidence, the snow had all but melted to reveal soft green grass, and just a short distance off a deep blue lake. He was startled by the sudden arrival of Sam, who wobbly came and stood next to him, looking out at the expanse in front of them. The tranquillity was shattered by Carter coughing again and then by the sound of her sharp, shuddering breaths.

"Sorry Sir." she said looking up at him weakly.

"Not your fault Carter, I'm the one who should be sorry, I should have listened to you when you said we were going east not north."  
"Sir", She tried to cut him off but failed.

"If I had listened to you then you never would have fallen into that lake and you wouldn't be ill now. Sam I'm sorry."

"Sir, I'm going to be OK, just a few cuts and bruises, and maybe a touch of pneumonia but I _will_ be OK, now may I suggest we get back to the gate so we can contact Daniel and Teal'c and go home before I pass out."

At her last comment O'Neill quickly looked at his 2IC, her face was pale and her eyes had black circles under them, she did look like she might pass out.

"Okay, but first you need to eat and drink, you haven't had anything since we came to this planet and you need to keep your strength up." It wasn't a suggestion. she could tell by the tone of authority in his words. He watched as she sat down on the floor at the front of the cave and pulled out her canteen and a MRE from her pack. Glad she was listening to him for once he sat down next to her and did the same.

After walking for about 10 minutes Jack could see that Carter was becoming tired and slowing down. Her coughing had increased so he decided that it was time to take a short break while he tried to contact Teal'c and Daniel. Nothing, nadda, zip.

"Still nothing?"

The Colonel looked down to where Carter had sat down on the grass, her face still pale but with her back to him so she could face the sun. That was when he spotted it, the blood seeping through the sleeve on her green jacket.

"God Sam." As he ran up to her she seemed startled, clearly not having realised that she was bleeding. "Take your jacket of Carter." She did so carefully after having looked down and realised that there was blood on her sleeve, and a lot of it. After removing the jacket O'Neill began inspecting her arm. The blood was flowing from one of the larger cuts that had been made from when she had fallen through the ice the day before, but due to her skin being so cold it hadn't bled.

However with the increase in her body temperature and the movement from walking it had begun to bleed, a lot.

"Hold still Carter."

"I'm trying sir but you keep poking my arm where its bleeding and it hurts. Can you please just

bandage it up so we can get going."

The Colonel complied without further inspecting the wound but as he wrapped the bandage around her arm he noticed the increased body temperature, one that suggested a fever from the Pneumonia. Putting his arm around her waist he helped stand up and judging by the amount of weight that she put on his arm he realised that between the amount of blood lost and the pneumonia, she was incredibly weak and he was going to have to help her walk.

It took double the time it had to make to the gate compared with the time it had taken him to reach the cave mostly because he had to go around the lake instead of across it and because he was trying to keep Carter on her feet. When they were about 20 minutes from the gate O'Neill's radio sprung to life with the frantic voice of Daniel, who seemed to just be talking into it until he got a response.

" and Jack if you don't answer this in a minute I swear I going to lose it, you never told us if you made the cave or if you and..."

"Okay Danny shut up I'm here damn it would you just pipe down already."

"Jack, you're there, are you OK? What about Sam? Why didn't you respond last night?"

"Daniel, I'm fine, Carter, well", he looked at the dazed form stumbling next to him before he continued.

"Carter's what, she's OK isn't she?"

"Not really Daniel, listen where are you two?"

"Were at the gate but it still won't dial out."

"Great we'll be there soon OK, don't go anywhere."

40 minutes later Colonel O'Neill reached the gate half supporting, half carrying Major Carter.

"My god Jack, what happened to her?"

"Long story short, she fell through ice into a frozen lake."

Slowly he turned to a semi-conscious Major Carter, "Can you fix the DHD now Sam, the panel isn't frozen shut."

She barely registered that someone was talking to her, never mind asking her to fix the DHD but she found her self sat under the panel exactly where she had been sat the previous day, but this time being able to remove the panel with ease. She quickly tightened the control crystal and re-routed the wires so that the power was stable and then went to stand up. Everything suddenly started spinning and then she descended into darkness.

Three voices called out her name as she began to fall and three sets of hands reached out to catch her. Teal'c's were the ones she landed in and as he gently laid her on the floor O'Neill could here the shuddering breaths of his 2IC.

"Carter, can you here me? Carter?" As her breathing began to deteriorate the Colonel ran his hands up the left side of her rib cage only to notice that one of the broken ribs had shifted at a worrying angle and seemed to be pressing right into her lung.

"Danny dial us home."

"What's happened? Is she OK?"

"I think she may have punctured a lung." The concern for his fallen college clear on his face. This coupled with the words he'd just heard Jack say sent Daniel into action, rapidly inputting the Earth co-ordinates into the DHD and the sending the iris code through. Teal'c approached the Colonel's side and gently placed his hand O'Neill's shoulder.

"O'Neill allow me." He gestured to where Major Carter lay on the ground.

"Thanks T but no, I got her." With that said he gently lifted her and desperately tried not to disturb her left side.

"SG1 aren't due back for another 36 hours", stated general Hammond to absolutely no-one in particular. "Get a medical team to the gate room." As this was said he descended the stairs from the control room and headed into the gate room. As SG1 stepped through the gate the General saw something he dreaded most, a team member being carried by another. "Stand down", the order was given to both SG1 and the armed soldiers holding defensive positions in the gate room. "What happened?"

"Bad weather Sir, that's what happened." Trying to keep it light wasn't working, he could feel Carters breaths coming in short painful gasps.

"Well what about Major Carter Jack, I doubt bad weather did this to her." As these comments were being exchanged Dr. Fraiser arrived and indicated that Colonel O'Neill follow her towards the infirmary. Jack did this at near dead run or as fast as he could carrying the dead weight of the Major with him.

"Lay her on the bed, Colonel, now." Janet began yelling orders out to her staff as Colonel O'Neill was joined by the rest of SG1 and General Hammond. The bed Sam was lying on quickly had the curtain drawn round it and a nurse came to usher the four men out of the infirmary.

_Damn it Sam, why is it always you that ends up lying on one of these beds while I have to try and patch you up? Why? _Janet was pulled out of her thoughts by the purple and black bruise that encompassed her friends left hand side. As she ran her fingers along the the side of Sam's ribcage she felt it, two ribs that had been broken in what felt like two places and then a third that had broken and displaced, puncturing her left lung.

"Oh god, okay lets get her into surgery now, get up an IV and I want bloods in here ASAP." Every nurse responded knowing exactly what to do and Sam was swiftly taken to an OR.

"General, SG1." Janet addressed her senior officer and the remaining members of the flagship team.

"What's her condition doctor?"

"Three broken ribs, severe lacerations across her arms, legs, and abdomen, one on her arm is especially nasty and an extreme case of pneumonia. Erm, also one of the broken ribs has punctured her left lung and it is on the verge of collapsing. This coupled with the pneumonia, Sir its not good." As the doctor was finishing her sentence a young nurse came out and told that they were ready in the OR and the doctor left to scrub.

"What happened Jack?"

"After the snow started to fall and Daniel and Teal'c left, Carter pulled the top panel of the DHD and began working inside", Jack took a pause from narrating the events that had happened on the planet and the continued, "I wasn't watching properly, just trying to keep warm walking round. 'Bout three hours later she made a sound like she hurt herself and we decided to go find shelter only instead of north we went east and we ended up stood on a frozen over lake, the ice cracked beneath her and she fell. When I pulled her out she was unconscious. Sir, it was my fault, she said we were going the wrong was and by the time I realised, everything went to hell." After allowing the Colonel finish his sentence Dr. Fraiser entered to inform them that Major Carter was out of surgery and that everything had gone well.

"Can we see her?"

"No, not yet Daniel, she's still out of it and I don't want her disturbed, maybe later."

"Is she gunna make doc?"

"She's responding well to the antibiotics so she should but its going to be awhile before she's back on duty, 2 or 3 weeks."

"Well in that case SG1 you are all on downtime until all its members are back at full strength."

The three men agreed with the General and left the briefing room.

"Doctor, has Major Carter regained consciousness at all?"

"No, why?"

"Jack blames himself for what happened, I think him talking to her might help?"

"When she wakes up, I'll inform both you and the Colonel."

"Thank you Doctor. Dismissed."

A gentle coughing was what awoke Janet from her sleep that she had involuntary entered while writing up patient charts. The dimmed lights in the infirmary made it slightly more difficult to see which of her patients had stirred but upon hearing the figure in the bed closest to her stifle a cry of pain she got up and walked over to her friend.

"Hey Sam, how you feeling?"

"Oh, just great Janet, kinda like I've been hit by a truck. How long have I been out?"

"Not long, 'bout 5 hours. Glad to see your awake, you didn't look to good when I examined you."

"Was I conscious for that?" Her face pulled up into a smile when she tried to joke with her friend and was relived to see her friend smile back.

"Jack wants to see you, he blames himself for what happened to you."

"Is he here?", her face turned down clearly worried about her CO.

"I'll go get him." As Janet left she gave her friends hand a squeeze.

"Hey Carter." His cheerful smile lit up the dim room immediately, but under the cheerful mask Sam could see her friends deep concern and the guilt he held for what had happened.

"You have nothing to feel guilty for, Sir."

"I know." With this simple admission she saw the tension lift from his face and the cheerful smile turn to be honest and relaxed.


End file.
